french country salad
this is a loose adaptation of a salad i ate all the time while living in provence. last night i made it for family dinner to accompany a steak and veggies my husband was grilling. elodie loves lentils and goat cheese (and i can coax her to take a few bites of the beets/salad) so the components are there for our whole family. lentils, beets, asparagus, and hazelnuts are not only delicious but also good for my growing baby.
summer lentil salad
ingredients:
• 1 cup black beluga lentils
• 3 large beets
• mesclun salad or spring mix (one clamshell*)
• 2 cups hazelnuts
• 5 oz. goat cheese
• 1 bunch asparagus
for the dressing:
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. canola or olive oil
• 2 tsp. dijon or granary mustard
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• splash of worcestershire sauce (or squeeze of lemon)
• salt and pepper to taste
• whisk the above together and set aside
next steps:
• add one cup of lentils to 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil
• reduce to a simmer and cover until most of the water is gone (15-20 min) you might have to drain. you don't want to over cook or you'll be stuck with mushy lentils.
• drain the lentils, put in a bowl, and chill in the refrigerator.
• place hazelnuts in a large frying pan over medium heat. stirring every minute until skins start to come off (about 8-10 min). place on a plate and after they've cooled a bit, remove skins. i crush mine a bit so they last longer.
• peel your beets and chop into small chunks. you can either steam them for 15-20 minutes or roast them in the oven for about 40 (at 400 degrees)
• grill the asparagus (or sauté if you don't already have the bbq going)
when all of your ingredients are prepped, you can bring bowls of each to the table, or plate for your guests. crumble goat cheese on top and salt/pepper as you wish.
toast up some baguette and serve with french butter (of a piece of salty cheese and a thin spread of dijon mustard) and you have yourself a lovely summer meal!
* this should last you a few days if you get the clamshell of lettuce
